95% of Cyber Security Breaches are due to Human Error
End-users: The weakest link OR the last line of defence?
When it comes to cyber security, end-users are often described as the weakest link. This might seem a little harsh, but when you think about the fact that 95% of cyber breaches are due to human error (according to a study by IBM), it becomes easier to understand why this is often the case.
Pretty much every single breach ends up being an “inside job”, but that doesn’t always mean that it’s done maliciously – here are some examples:
- Compromised accounts
- Malicious insiders
- Careless users
- Social engineering
- And more…
Without proper training your end-users can be the biggest risk in your cyber security defence. However, we know from experience that with the correct training in place, your users can become your organisation’s ‘Human Firewall’.
Defence in Depth
To take a quick step back and set the scene, Cyber Security is a complex topic which covers a wide range of threats and security mechanisms. The best-practice approach to cyber security is one of ‘defence in depth’, where an organisation will use multiple complimentary security mechanisms to achieve the overall desired result of security. These often cover a range of areas including:
- Physical security
- Network security
- Email security
- OS security
- Network Endpoint security
- Wi-fi security
- END-USER SECURITY TRAINING
- And the list goes on and on
This is where the Human Firewall comes into play… when all other technological measures and tools we have in place fail (and a threat slips through the net), you need your users to be clued up so they can help fight against cyber threats by becoming your human firewall.
OK, So What is a Human Firewall?
The human firewall is the extra layer of protection your organisation has when your end-users are knowledgeable, cyber-security aware, and have a defined set of organisational policies they can follow to help ensure threats don’t slip through the net. The Human Firewall becomes one of your strongest layers of protection against cyber-crime. As your last line of defence, the Human Firewall helps you keep malicious cyber-attacks ‘out’, and keep your sensitive business-critical data and information ‘in’.
Your organisation needs a plan, and even more importantly a clear, defined policy in place that everybody can follow when talking to outsiders, opening their email, making payments and anything else which can sometimes be a ‘point of entry’ for malicious attacks, phishing emails, or social engineering threats.
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E-ZU eLearning Management System
An all-in-one cloud solution built to inspire learning and fuel workplace productivity.
Our next-generation platform delivers tailored, up-to-date training content across a range of business-critical topics, via an extensive course library of over 5,000 videos, and the ability to add your own custom channels and content.
It’s simple to use and comes packed with powerful tools to manage training and track development, to increase learner engagement (with in-built gamification), and build a sense of community across your workforce – all under an affordable per-user/per-month pricing model.
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